Casing head for oil wells



Sept. 10, 1929. A NT 1,727,583

CASING HEAD FOR OIL WELLS Filed Feb. 16, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 af ml 27'l0 2 I9 I I I INVENTOR. DAVID A CANT A TTORNE Y.

Sept. 10, 1929. D. A. CANT 1,727,583

CASING HEAD FOR OIL WELLS Filed Feb. 16, 1925 2 Shts-Sheet 2 4/6INVENTOR. DAVID A CA T A BY @M A ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 10,1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. v

DAVID A. our, or Los'mems, CALIFORNIA, sssrenon 'ro BEGAN renal: a meanNEEBING oourm, or an: rnnno, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION or om- FOBNIA.

CASING FOR OIL WELLS.

Application fled February 16, 1925. Serial No. 9,819.

This invention relates more specifically to a casing head.construction.provided with means to prevent accidental blow outs duringa Well drilling operation. his of the objects of this invention'toprovide a casing head construction havmg means to effectually control anunexpected flow of oil or gas from a well during a'drilling 0 eration.

A urther object is to provide a well packer that is of simpleconstruction, that may be quickly disassembled when it is desired towithdraw the drill pipe from the casing to add additional standsthereto. 7

In the drilling of oil wells by the rotary method, large quantities ofsemifluid mud are pumped into the well through the rotary kelly anddrill pi e attached t reto in order to control an prevent a remature 2oflow of oil or gas from the well uring the drilling operation.Oftentimes large gas pockets are encountered as the drillingprogre'sses, frequently resulting in what is commonly known as blowouts. These blow outs are oftentimes of an exceedingly dangerouscharacter, "frequently destro g or wrecking the drilling rig, .and at esame time wasting enormous quantities of valuable oil, unless theoperators can shut ofi ,-or

control the excessive flow'of oil and gas from the well. ed k1 d Byemploying my improv pac 'ng evlce in connection with the drillingmechanism, all

danger of unexpected blow outs can be readily and easily avoided, thedevice absolutely'controlling the flow of mud, gas, and oil from thewell until the gas pressure has been sufliciently reduced to againenable the operators to rpsume drilling operations.

40 Broadlythe invention preferably consists of a counter bored sleevethat is secured to v the upper end of a well ca "the string of wellboring tools pam' Ex thereto is lalpacking mechof 'the' disks includingthe deformable being provided with a centrally dia opening orthe passagetherethrough erethrough. Mounted in the upper end 0 the sleeve andablpaekingbetween a pairof metallic 'mechamsmremoved.

of the drilling pipe and kelly. The packmg mechanism is maintained inlocked and. operative engagement with the packer sleeve by means of apair of abutment collars. When' an excess pressure develops in the well,a plurality of slips are inserted in the opening of the upper metaldisk, their serrated faces engaging the kelly, at the same time thedrilling su portin means is released, thus restin the wei it of thedrill pipe upon the pee 'ng mec anisms. As the vyeight of the drill pipeis carried by the upper metal disk, the deformable disk therebelow willbe expanded to completely seal the upper end of the'casing against theflow of oil or gas therethrough, valve controlled .p ipe lines securedto the wall of the packer sleeve permitting the excess fluid pressurefrom t e well to flow therefrom until the well regains its normalconditionf Should the upper pressure occasioned by a blowout exceed thedownward pressure exerted by the weight of the string of drilling tools,which is usually the case, the adjustable segmental abutment rings atthe upper end of the sleeve will preventa displacement of the packingdisks the ressure therea ainst expanding the de orma le disk to (gas thecasing as heretofore explained.

ther objects and advantages, notat this time particularly enumerated,will be clearly scription of the present invention, and the drawingsattached hereto, in which: I Fig. 1 is a centralvertical section throughthe-well packing mechanism secured to the upper end of a well casingshowing the packer in operation. 1 v I Fig. 2isa top plan view of thepacker, parts being broken away and in dotted lines to more clearlyillustrate the mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a transverse'section taken on line 3 3 of Fig.1. I Fig. lies acentral vertical section through. the picker sleeve or casing with thepacking meansremoved therefrom.

Fi 5 is a central vertical section of a modified arm-of adjustableabutment collars in an inoperative." position and the packing Qunderstood from the following detailed de- I Fig. 6 is a similar viewtaken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5, with the packing mechanism in position andthe abutment collars in an operative position. I

i Fig. 7 is a topplan view of the modified form of packer.

' Fi 8 is a transverse section of themodified form taken on line 8-8 ofFig. 5, the abutment collars in an inoperative position.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, and especiallyto ,Fig'. 1,

the reference character 5 designates the exteriorly threaded upper endof a well casing of usual form, to which the well packer mechanism 6, issecured. This mechanism preferably consists of a cylindrical sleeve 7,having a cylindrical bore 8 interiorly threaded at its lower end, and anenlarged counter bore 9 atits upper end, the bottom portion of itscircular wall being bevelled to form a seat for one of the metal disksof the packer mechanism. Formed integrally with the upper end of thepacker sleeve, and projecting transversely from its peripheral Wall area plurality of locking lugs 10, 11, 12, 13,

equally spaced apart.

Bore 9 carries the packingmechanism which is substantially of the samegeneral form now employed, and consists of a metal disk having abevelled edge similar to the bevelled seat ofthe bore 9 on which itrests. The upper face of disk 15 is provided with an annular ridge 16conical in cross section, and a centrally disposed aperture 17 providesmeans for the passage therethrough of the drilling pipe and kelly 18attached thereto. Another metal disk 19 having an annular ridge 20 onits under face similar in form to it will the ridge formed on'disk 15,is disposed in the upper end of bore 9. This disk has a vertical sidewall, and its diameter is such that it will freely movewithin the bore 9when actuated by pressure to pack the well. Disk 19 has a centraldownwardly ta ered opening 21 for the reception of a plura ity oftapered slips 22 of usual form, designed to support the drill pipe whenreleased from its supporting lines. I 1

Interposed between disks 15, 19, is a thick circular packin disk 23,preferably formed of rubber or similar deformable material, hav:

ing a central opening 24 for the passage of the drilling pipe; 1

As the packing mechanism just-described is loosel mounted in the bore 9of the casing e apparent that provision must be made for maintaining thesame against disengagement when an upward pressure is exerted againstthe same, as in the case of a well blow out. To this end a pair of.semi-cir-- cular abutment rings 25, 26, are provided,-

each having a lug 27 rojecting from its outer .peripheral' wall mi wayits ends, the lugs being of a configuration similar to the lugs formedon the upper end of the casing. Theends of each are also provided withlugs 28, 29, the len of the lugs being to form a space 30 between theends of the rings when the same are mounted on the upper end of thecasing, and to permit of a movement of the same towardeach other inorder to formoppositely disposed led es or abutments 31 for the metaldisk 19. to, ar against when forced upwardly by pressure 'therebelow.Each ring 25, 26, is provided on its upper edge midway its ends with anupwardly extending segmental flange 32, 33. These flanges engagecircular openings 35, formed in the end wall 36 of a circular collar 37that serves to shift the abutment rings into a locked position, as willbe more fully exless than one-half of the length of thelugs 27 in orderwhen the same are drawn apart equalling the diameter of the bore 9 ofthe casing, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. In or er to prevent a rotationand a consequent displacement of the rings when the collar 37 is rotatedtoshift the rings towards each other to form the abutments 31, aninclined cam slot 39 is formed on the up er end of the casing sleevepassing throng lug .12 and terminating in the bore 9 of the sleeve, apin 40.formed'on the under face of ring 26 engaging the slot prevents arotary movement'and a consequent dis lacementof the ring, when the ringsare s ifted toward each other. to form the abutments.

Diametrically disposed in the edge of the circular opening 35 formed inthe head of collar 37, are recesses 41, 42, designed to chamber thesegmental flanges 32, 33, formed on the rings 25, 26, when the same areshifted together to withdraw the abutments from the bore 9 of the sleeveand permitthe removal of the acking mechanism therefrom.

In igs. 5 to 8 inclusive is shown a modified form of packer mechanism,all the parts lugs 56, 57, that .engage cam shaped notches 58, 59,formed in the vertical wall of the opening 36, of the collar 37, whenthe rings are shiftedor swung on their pivots to ermit of theinsertionof the packing mechamsm inthe bore 9, or its removal therefrom. When thepacking disks are dropped into the bore 9 of the sleeve to pack thewell, the collar 37 is rotated, the cam notches 58, 59, swinging therings 50, 51, on their pivots and forcing the same towards each other toform the locking abutments for the upper disk to bear against, as in thefirst form described. 1

The operation and method of assembling the casing head will be'readilyunderstood from the following description. The sleeve is first securedin screw threaded engagement with the upper end of the well casing. Themetal disks 15, 19, are loosely mounted on the kelly 18 above the rotarytable (not shown). It will be understood that the abutment rings in bothforms are in an expanded position on the upper edge of the packersleeve, thus permitting a ready insertion of the packing mechanism intothe bore 9 of the sleeve the moment a blow out is indicated. As soon assuch pressure is noted by the drillers, operations are instantlysuspended, and the rubber packingdiskis inserted on the kelly betweenthe metal disks (thesplit 60 in the ring permitting of such anattachment), and after the slips in the rotary table have been removedthev rings are dropped downwardly into the bore 9 of the packer sleeve.The collar 37 of the sleeve is'then rotated to shift or swing theabutment rings to lock the packing mechanism therein. Slips 22 are thenplaced in the opening formed in the upper metal disk to support thereleased weight of the drill pipe,

, and the collar 37 is again rotated to bring its lugs 38, into registerwith the lugs 10, 11,- 12, and 13, of the sleeve 6 to lock the samethereto, the collar being held against accidental rotation by means ofthe set screw 4C5.

From the above description it will be apparent that should a blow outoccur in a well provided with such mechanism, the packing disk may bequickly brought into operative relation with the packer casing toquickly andeifectively divert the unexpected excessive pressuredeveloped through valve controlled pipelines secured to the packer head.

What I claim is:

1. A packing mechanism for oil well casing heads comprising a casinghead of usual form having an annular internal seat in its upper end, apacking mechanism mounted on said seat, a two part abutment ring mountedon said head above the packing mechanism, said ring being movablelaterally to limit or permit upward movement of the packing mechanism.

2. A packing mechanism comprising a casing head adapted to be detachablysecured to the upper end of an oil well casing, a packing mechanismmounted in said head, a pair of shiftable segmental abutment ringsmounted on said head for preventing a displacement of the packingmechanism on a sudden development of pressure below said packingmechanism, a rotatable collar engaging the casing head and bearingagainst the se mental rings to prevent a displacement 0 said rings, andmeans formed on said collar for shifting the rings into and out ofengagement with the packing mechanism.

3. In a casing head packing mechanism a control head adapted to besecured to the upper end of a well casing, said head having a seatformed intermediate its ends and fluid discharge outlets disposedtherebelow, a disc formed of an elastic material interposed betweenmetallic discs disposcd on said seat, said discs being provided withopenings for the passage therethrough of a well drilling mechanism, atwo part abutment ring laterally movable mounted on said head forlocking the packing discs in the head, a collar rotatably secured to theupper end of the head for operating the abutment ring, and independentmeans carried by said discs for supporting the weight of the drillingmechanism to expand the elastic packing discs to divert the flow offluid through the discharge out lets of the head.

LA packing mechanism for well casings comprising a control headdetachably secured to the upper end of a well casing, an expansiblepacking mechanism mounted therein having an opening for the passagetherethrough of drill tubes, a laterally movable locking means mountedon said sleeve for preventing a displacement of the packing mechanism ona development of an upward expansive pressure in the well, a collarsecured to the upper.

end of said sleeve and engaging said locking means for shifting the samelaterally to a locked or unlocked position, and tubing slips to transferthe weight of the drilling tube to the packing means to expand the same.

5. A packing mechanism for well casings comprising a control headadapted to be detachably secured to the upper end of a well casing, saidhead having a counterbore in the upper end thereof forming a seat and anoutlet opening therebelow, an expansible packing ring mounted in saidbore having an opening therethrough for the passage of a drill stem,abutment rings mounted on said head for locking the packing ring to thehead on an expansive movement of the same, and means secured to saidcollar for shifting the abutment rings out of engagement with thepacking ring to permit of-a withdrawal of the same from the sleeve.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my namethis 19th day of January, 1925. DAVID A. CANT.

